Great Fernhill Deerhounds

Am.Can.Ch. Gwent’s Trefor O’Fern Hill

(Ch. Geltsdale Beauly X Ch. Highstone’s Gael MacTavish) bred by Cecilia Arnold
Trefor hunted caribou in Labrador and European hare in Manitoba with me. He was too big to course well, but was structurally perfect and it is to him that I attribute the effortless trot our dogs still have some twenty generations later.

Am.Can.Ch. Crannoch’s Fenris O’ Fern Hill F.Ch.

Pictured at 3 years, Fen was a grandson of Trefor and was bred by Gerri Akman (Crannoch). Truly a Great in the history of the breed, with a brilliant show and coursing career. Most of all as a sire he left an outstanding legacy of health, longevity and versatility. All our dogs go back to Fen. He was directly incorporated into the breeding programs of Lyonhil, Highstone, Glencrag, Foxcliffe, Thistleglen, Pibroch, Sungael, Christies’ and most of today’s quality Deerhounds have him in their pedigree.

Am. Ch. Gwent’s Crystal Windracer

(Ch. Gwent’s Ifor Hael Ap Beauly X Ch. Gwent’s Deirdre Algonkian).

Bred by Cecilia Arnold, Crystal came to us at 4 ½ years and I have never stopped thinking how lucky I was! She proved to be an extraordinary brood bitch with an incredibly sweet personality (though she was quite hopeless in the field…!). But who cares when a bitch produces two SDCA National Specialty Best Puppy in Show winners (Cahalan’s Dairne – 1984; Fernhill’s Esprit – 1989) and in the eight puppies that she produced at Fern Hill (four by Fenris, one by Caliban, and 3 by Eclipse) each litter had multi Group winners and she produced for Fernhill two breed greats Am. Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Kendra (Fen X Crystal) and Am. Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Esprit (Eclipse X Crystal)…both multi Best in Show and Specialty Show winners. All our Deerhounds come down from Crystal through her son Am. Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Muldoon F. Ch. (by Caliban) and Am. Ch. Fernhill’s Evangeline (by Eclipse).

Ch. Foxcliffe Eclipse O’Fernhill

(Ch. Crannoch’s Fenris O’Fernhill F.Ch.  X  Ch. Foxcliffe Cailleach F.Ch.)

One of our greatest males, and certainly our most beautiful, Eclipse was bred by Cecilia Dove. Eclipse earned a Best in Specialty Show (and Best Puppy in Show) at 11 months and was a key sire for Fernhill. Pictured at 4 years.

Am.Ch. Fernhill’s Evangeline

 (Am.Can. Ch. Foxcliffe Eclipse O’Fernhill X Am.Ch. Gwent’s Crystal Windracer)

Sister to the most beautiful Deerhound ever (Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Esprit), Evie blessed us with lots of lovely puppies and lived to a ripe old age (almost 12), dying quietly at the farm the day Richard and I got married. She was surrounded by friends and family and was piped out to the tune of “Amazing Grace” played by Gord McNaule. Wyvern, her most illustrious son, is in the photo below.

Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern 

(Am. Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Taliesin the Raven, F. Ch.   X   Am. Ch. Fernhill’s Evangeline)

Our all-breed Best in Show winner and multiple Specialty Winner playing “Nessie” for the tourists.

Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern

At 6 ½ years at the peak of his show career, Wyvern was beautifully handled by my close friend Sheila Matheson to most of his wins.

Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Somerset J.C.

(Am.Ch. Pennant’s Halo, JC  X  Lyonhill Echo O’Fern Hill)

Somerset is exemplary of our type. With Sheila, his owner-handler, he achieved star status in the U.S.A. and Canada with multiple Specialty and Best in Show wins.

Fernhill’s Torquil

(Ch. Lehigh Urquhart J.C.   X   Ch. Fernhill’s Electra at Fitzhugh, F. Ch.)

At 7 months Torquil went Winners Dog at the 1998 SDCA National Specialty as well as Best Puppy in Show and Best in Futurity. He went to three more shows as a puppy and collected a Best in Sweepstakes at the Ontario Sighthound Specialty, Best Puppy in Specialty at the Gazehound Ontario Specialty, and then an all breed Best Puppy in Hound Group, Best Puppy in Show and adult Hound Group 3 at the St. Catherines Kennel Club show.

Then as a three year old, Fernhill’s Torquil continued his way to his AKC championship by winning Best of Winners at the 2000 Western SDCA Regional Specialty and Best of Winners at the 2000 Eastern Regional Specialty handled by myself. 🙂

And the tradition continues with Torquil’s son…
Fernhill’s Tyee a one year old (Fernhill’s Torquil X Fernhill’s Camille)

Ch. Fernhill’s Turbulent Indigo

( Ch. Fernhill’s Intrepid  X Am. Ch. Fernhill’s Evangeline)

Indy, our SDCA National Specialty Winner’s Dog and Group winner



Ch. Fernhill’s Roslyn

(Am.Ch. Lehigh Urquhart X Fernhill’s Camille)

An all breed Best Puppy in Show winner, Group winner, OSA Sighthound Specialty Best of Breed, SDCA Regional Specialty Winners, SDCA Specialty AOM and brood bitch extraordinaire!

Over the years some of the Deerhounds we have bred or owned were…

  • 1985 World Champion …Ch. Fernhill’s Thor O’ Maropa’s Arran (Dictus)
  • 1991 the first Scottish Deerhound to win the Hound Group at the Westminster Kennel Club Show at Madison Square Gardens Ch. Fernhill’s Phantom (Levin & Heidenreich)
  • the top winning Deerhound of all time in Canada …Ch. Fernhill’s Kendra (Baltzer & Heidenreich)
  • All Breed Best in Showwinners in Canada, the U.S.A. and Mexico :
    • Ch. Carrera Glenoble O’Fern Hill (Cremer)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Kendra (Baltzer & Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Esprit (Matheson & Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern (Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Somerset (Matheson & Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Glencrag’s Tyler O’Fernhill (Giles)
    • Ch. Fernhill Thistleglen Skylar (Gimblett & Dickson)
  • All Breed Best Puppy in Show winners:
    • Fernhill’s Esprit (Matheson & Heidenreich)
    • Fernhill’s Pennant Panache (Matheson, later Wozniak)
    • Fernhill’s Torquil (Heidenreich)
    • Fernhill’s Roslyn (Heidenreich)
    • Fernhill’s Solar Flare (Heidenreich)
    • Fernhill’s Bayard (Heidenreich) Best Puppy in Capital Area Sighthound Specialty 2010
    • Fernhill’s Kinley (Heidenreich)Best Puppy in Capital Area Sighthound Specialty July 16 AND July 17, 2011
  • Sighthound Specialty Best in Showwinners:
    • Ch. Foxcliffe Eclipse O’ Fernhill (Heidenreich) (Best Puppy in SS and BISS)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Kendra (Baltzer & Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Esprit (Matheson & Heidenreich) (Best Puppy in SS and BISS)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern (Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Somerset (Matheson & Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Roslyn ( Heidenreich) (Best Puppy in SS)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Atticus (Sutherland)
  • Hound Group Wins or Placements: Trefor, Tiree, Fenris, Kelpie, Kestrel, Carrera (“Spyder”) (Cremer), Caliban (Benning-Matheson), Restless Spirit (Benning-Matheson), Raven, Kendra (Baltzer), Phantom (Levin), Phoebe (Fisher), Drayton O’Muldoon (Winet), Wyvern, Deirdre, Electra (Sudekum), Somerset (Matheson), Intrepid, Torquil, Turbulent Indigo (“Indy”), Roslyn, Atticus(Sutherland), Mersey (McPhail), Skylar (Gimblett), Azure (McPhail); Valor of Big Sky (McPhail), Camille (Heidenreich-Sutherland)
  • Scottish Deerhound Club of America (SDCA) Best Puppy in National and Regional Specialty wins:
    • 1989 Fernhill’s Esprit (Matheson & Heidenreich) Best Puppy in SDCA National Specialty 1989 & BISweeps
    • 1997 Fernhill’s Bravehart (Winet & Grant) Best Puppy in SDCA National Specialty
    • 1998 Fernhill’s Torquil (Heidenreich) Best Puppy in SDCA National Specialty & Best in Futurity
    • 2001 Fernhill’s Cameo (Trow) Best in SDCA National Specialty Sweeps
    • 2011 Fernhill’s Hebridie O’Glencrag Best Puppy in Eastern Regional Specialty
  • Scottish Deerhound Club of America (SDCA) National Specialty Wins(excludes class wins):
    • 1977 Best Brood Bitch – Can. Ch. Kira of Fern Hill
    • 1980 RWD – Gwent’s Trefor O’Fernhill
    • 1980 RWB – Fernhill’s Kestrel
    • 1981 Best Brood Bitch – Ch. Carrera Glenoble of Fernhill
    • 1983 RWB – Crannoch’s Epic Na Tiree
    • 1985 BOS – Ch. Crannoch’s Fenris O’Fernhill F. Ch.
    • 1986 WD – Fernhill’s Caliban
    • 1987 RWD – Fernhill’s Taliesin the Raven
    • 1988 Best Stud Dog – Fernhill’s Pendragon LCM, F.Ch.
    • 1989 AOM – Ch. Fernhill’s Kendra
    • 1989 Best Stud Dog – Ch. Crannoch’s Fenris O’Fernhill F. Ch.
    • 1989 Best Brood Bitch – Ch. Gwent’s Crystal Windracer
    • 1992 RWD – Fernhill’s Wyvern
    • 1992 BOS – Ch. Fernhill’s Esprit
    • 1994 WD – Fernhill’s Wyvern
    • 1995 AOM – Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern
    • 1996 AOM – Ch. Glencrag’s Tyler O’Fernhill
    • 1998 WD & BPIS; Best in Futurity – Fernhill’s Torquil
    • 1998 RWD – Fernhill’s Somerset
    • 1998 Best Brood Bitch – Ch. Fernhill’s Electra at Fitzhugh
    • 2000 RWD – Fernhill’s Torquil
    • 2000 WB, BW – Fernhill’s Demelza at Fitzhugh
    • 2000 AOM – Ch. Fernhill’s Somerset JC
    • 2001 WD – Fernhill’s Turbulent Indigo
    • 2003 BOS – Ch. Pyefleet Nonesuch
    • 2003 Best Stud Dog – Ch. Pyefleet Nonesuch
    • 2004 AOM – Ch. Pyefleet Nonesuch
    • 2004 BV – Ch. Fernhill’s Demelza at Fitzhugh
    • 2006 Best Outline – Fernhill’s Lyric
    • 2007 WD – Fernhill’s Lyric
    • 2008 AOM, Best Veteran, Best Brood Bitch – C. Fernhill’s Roslyn
    • 2010 Best Puppy in Futurity – Fernhill’s Bayard
    • 2011 Best Puppy in Futurity and Best of Opposite Sex in Futurity – Fernhill’s Hebridie O’Glencrag
    • 2011 RWD – Fernhill’s Javelin
  • Four of the only five Deerhounds in Canada to achieve a Field Champion EXCELLENT
    • … Can.Ch.Fernhill’s Kirsty F.Ch.X (McNaule)
    • … Fernhill’s Elvira Am. F.Ch, Can. F.Ch. (Gimblett)
    • …Ch. Fernhill’s Gabriola F.Ch. X (Lazin)
    • …Ch. Fernhill’s Hawkeye Pierce, F.Ch.X (Lazin)
  • The first (and only) Deerhound American and Canadian Canine Good Citizen
    • … Fernhill’s Elvira Am.F.Ch. Can. F.Ch.X Am.Can. C.G.C. (Gimblett)
  • SDCA National Specialty ASFA Coursing Best In Fieldwins:
    • 1983 Crannoch’s Fenris O’Fernhill (Heidenreich)
    • 1993 Fernhill’s Hagar (Bays, Doyle, Heidenreich)
    • 1998 Fernhill’s Demelza at Fitzhugh (Heidenreich, Bowman, Sudekum)
    • 2000 Fernhill’s Pennant Quest (Heidenreich)
    • 2008 Fernhill’s Vaill of Glencrag (Giles)
  • Hound Group Winners AND Best in Fieldwinning Deerhounds:
    • Ch. Crannoch’s Fenris O’Fernhill (Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Crannoch’s Epic Na Tiree (Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Caliban (Matheson & Heidenreich)
    • Ch. Fernhill’s Phoebe (Fisher)

Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Kendra
(photo Linda Lindt)

Sighthound Review Annual HEIDENREICH Fernhill

“Fernhill” featured in Showsight Magazine January 2024
An Interview with Barb HeidenreichVisit: https://digital.showsightmagazine.com/view/437705027/268/

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